Baseball & marriage?

OK, so following the worst game of my softball carer [*cough* - hobby], last week, I had only an below average two games at the double header this week. So...I called up my buddy Caleb and we went a swinging.

We went to the batting cages and I got 6 tokens ($10 worth) Each token gets you 18 pitches. Caleb pointed out to me "Think about how many games does it take you to see 18 pitches?" And in this context I can just worry about hitting them, not running, or getting someone out.

Kind of reminds me of why it is valuable to do the marriage conferences, or mentoring groups that Cara and I have enjoyed so much. They can provide a safe, focused, controlled environment where we can "see" a number of situations in a few hours that it would normally take several months to "see". In addition we can face them fresh, and with a good attitude where we would normally face them under less than ideal circumstances, and in high stress.

safe: (no one gets out)
focused: (only goal is to make contact)
controlled: (choose your timing to set your best attitude)
fresh: (avoid stress of the moment)

It gives you a chance to get back in your groove. My buddy Caleb said that baseball is a "game of streaks." You have a series of good games where you are on fire, and then you hit a slump. Sometimes you just have to shake it up and put in a little extra time in the cages to try to get back to the fundamentals, shake off the dust. The results may not be instant, but you just have to outlast the difficult moments, relax a little, and as my wife said "try to still have fun, that is why you wanted to play isn't it? Because it was fun." Soon enough you will be hitting strong again if you don't give up. Maybe marriage is the same way.

Just thinking.
Bill

Asian Indian Family Wellness (Crisis Services)

SEWA-AIFW

If anyone ever has the need to refer someone from the Asian or Indian community to a place of safety, there is a nonprofit in the Twin Cities area:

for the benefit of Asian Indian's in need, be it family, immigration, health (or safety)

This is like a culturally sensitive/relevant version of a crisis intervention center/shelter/social services. I have not found many if any other people around trying to do what they are doing for the Asian Indian community. In fact it was a little difficult to find them, so that is why i decided to post the blog. If you know someone who is from this community who is suffering from domestic abuse, or other family/life/work stresses and difficulties that seem unmanageable, please consider letting them know that something like this exists.

Here is there contact information.

Office phone number is 763-234-3491
24/7 crisis line is 952-912-9100.

"All information is confidential. Help is available, to link one to services with culturally trained advocated, social workers and doctors and lawyers. Help is available in housing, health and financial.If there is any thing we can do please do not hesitate to call. 763-234-3491."

SEWA-AIFW website